AFP, HARARE - Zimbabwe's opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has won the first round of a presidential election against Robert Mugabe with 47.9 percent of the vote, an election official said on Friday.

Mugabe won 43.2 percent of the vote and since neither candidate won more than 50 percent a second round run-off will have to be held, Lovemore Sekeramayi, chief elections officer, told reporters in Harare.

"Since no candidate has received the majority of the valid vote cast... a second election shall be held on a date to be advised by the commission," Sekeramayi